What is insight in psychology: insight, insight, sudden guess

In psychological dictionaries, the concept of insight is interpreted as a sudden, an understanding of the problem situation as a whole that can not be deduced from existing experience, thanks to which the solution of the task facing the person occurs.

"Aha-reaction" in a chimpanzee

But for the first time this term was introduced by Gestalt psychologist W. Keller in 1925 when studying the intelligence of anthropoid apes whose behavior did not fit into the behavioral concept of "trial and error." By insight, he called the new thinking, a sudden insight into the task presented by the experimenter.

Koehler offered his chimpanzees the task of obtaining bait in an unusual way for them: you had to guess to use a stick for this, which could be in different places, including outside the field of view of the animal.

Instead of making a fuss, making unsuccessful attempts, the monkey could do nothing for a long time, but simply look around. And at some point the necessary solution suddenly came to her, which was immediately realized.

Such an "aga-reaction" researcher interpreted as an intellectual action to "restructure" the field of perception for the task at hand, when a neutral object (stick) attracts attention as a means to achieve the result ("extension" of the hand).

What is insight?

Subsequently, this term began to be used by psychologists of various directions in attempts to explain the phenomenon of awareness, illumination, sudden understanding. Especially in the study of creativity.

H. Wallace singled out four stages in the process of solving the creative task:

1. Preparatory work.

2. Bearing.

3. Sudden insight.

4. Practical confirmation.

This scheme is not disputed by anyone, but everyone agrees that it is rather descriptive in nature and can not explain what insight really is.

The difficulty of the matter lies in the fact that the decision is formed on the unconscious level, until it reaches the focus of consciousness. It is interesting that consciousness at the second stage is usually occupied with activities that are not directly related to the problem being solved. That's why the suddenness effect arises, when the solution suddenly appears in consciousness as a ray of light against the backdrop of gray everyday life.

Indeed, it is known from the history of science that the fundamental discoveries were made by great scientists, beginning with Archimedes (who, after centuries, shouted his famous "Eureka!") To the mathematician Poincaré and many others, in the most unexpected situations. For example, when immersed in a bath, under an apple tree in a garden or on the running board of a moving bus.

The criterion of truth is beauty

In the memoirs of Henri Poincaré, you can clearly see what insight is in the creative process. When a scientist is not engaged in thinking about the problem before him (stage 2), his unconscious work continues, the results of which depend on the degree of his involvement in the solution of the problem at the first stage.

When the insight has happened, it is necessary to base a proof on it, including logic and mathematical calculations. The main thing in this third stage is checking your sudden insights. Even despite the absolute certainty of the correctness of his guess, the scientist must prove this to himself and others.

The most interesting here is that the movement to the right decision is accompanied by strong feelings, along which the scientist is oriented, fully focused on his task. Feelings, manifested from the depths of the unconscious, direct the creator to the desired solution. Poincaré says that he experienced real ecstasy while contemplating the beauty of his mathematical constructions.

In other words, the feeling of beauty and harmony is a kind of filter that does not miss the wrong ideas. And if he is absent, then man can not solve mathematical problems. That is, insight is in the psychology of creativity a concept closely related to the beauty of form.

In principle, the same mechanism was described and Koehler, who studied the creative solutions of chimpanzees. "Gestalt" and translates as a good, beautiful, finished form regarding the connection of objects in the field of perception. Choosing this "good form" as the only true, the monkey solved the problem and received a reward.

Intuition or logic?

Our compatriot is a psychologist Ya.A. Ponomarev adheres to the view that human thinking is always a balance of intuition and logic. At different moments of life, one or the other predominates. Intuitive search is triggered by the very formulation of the problem, the emergence of the need to solve it. The main process passes beyond the threshold of consciousness, and only when the solution ripens, it suddenly appears in its focus. That's what insight is in this context.

On its basis, a logical justification of the decision is formed, when there is already a different need - to share its find with others, to find a common algorithm for solving similar problems in the future.

When a person faces a new task, often he lacks logical knowledge, and then the decision process is lowered to the lower, unconsciously intuitive level. In this field, which is not yet known, experience seems boundless. And those who know how to get in touch with him, you can look at the problem situation from the right side. Information comes at a time when consciousness is distracted, or in a dream.

Having received a principled answer, we need to try to justify it. Only then will the intuitive solution be granted the right to exist.

Do not ask the centipede how it rearranges the paws!

Once Ponomarev conducted such an experiment: he suggested the subjects to solve the problem, in which it was required to find an algorithm for putting straps on a special panel. When they learned to perform this task, they were offered to find a way in the labyrinth, the shape of which was identical to the configuration of the bars in the panel in the previous task.

It turned out that preliminary preparation with slats sharply reduces the number of mistakes in the labyrinth. But if the experimenter asked to justify why this or that choice was made in the labyrinth, the number of errors increased at once.

It turns out that working in the mode of logical awareness prevents contact with intuitive experience. Conversely, actions in accordance with intuition preclude their conscious control.

"I feel - there is something in this!"

The main difference between human intuition and the mental activity of animals is in its connection with consciousness. The flair of animals, according to modern science, is not capable of this.

Plunging to the level of intuition, the new thinking of a person can accelerate tens of thousands of times, and with much less energy. At the same time, even a rush of new forces can be felt, an intuitive decision brings with it an emotional upsurge and a sense of "real life". Creative people call this inspiration.

Insight in everyday life

It is not necessary to think that insight, insight, is the prerogative of scientists or artists. The ordinary human life is filled with insights, insights and other unexpected solutions. We are constantly solving new tasks for ourselves, which far from immediately yield to a conscious assault.

Insight is in psychology a zone of enlightenment, in which there are answers to the main questions. We find her after long unsuccessful attempts, already despairing and dropping her hands, finally giving up and ceasing to seek a solution. It is at this moment that enlightenment comes.

You just need to step aside and look at the situation differently, try to cover it whole whole.

Ability to anticipate

The ability to insight can be used in psychology as a synonym for insight when it comes to characterizing a person. In general, insight is the ability to guess what a stranger is, what motives motivate him, what to expect from him. By and large, this is the foresight of the situation.

A discerning person is difficult to deceive or "substitute". Such people are not prone to errors, and they are successful in the chosen field of activity. That is why there are many leaders among them who can influence others, gather around them teams of like-minded people and creative collectives.

But discernment is also the ability to make precise observations, to notice in the surroundings the most essential, something that does not strike the eye, but gives the key to the situation. And in this regard, it can be developed by constantly training its observation. For this, special methods have been developed in psychology, which can be read if desired.

The different directions of psychology use the term insight, the meaning of which is interpreted as insight, intuitive approach to solving a difficult problem, awareness in a broad sense or insight. In the psychology of advertising there is even the concept of "consumer insight". Perhaps the popularity of this concept will contribute to real insights in understanding the essence of man, and will make our life better.